Friction-clutch.



Y tended cylindrical hub 5 man sins n WILLIAM H. NELSON', OF .ARDMORELPENNSYLVANIA.

FRIGTIONQ CL UTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tanuary 27, 1912. Serial. No. 673,802.

Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to friction clutches designed for use inconnection with automobiles, shafting and also useful in many otherplaces which will suggest themselves.

The main object of the present invention is to provide in connectionwith the mechanical elements of a friction'clutch, means for readily,conveniently and practically taking up wear and compensating in thewearing away of the cooperating friction surfaces of the clutch.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, set forth in andfalling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawingz-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a friction clutchembodying the present invention, illustrating the shaft in crosssection. Fig. 2 is a dianietrical view through the same, sli'owing theclutch in elevation.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the shaft, 2 the female clutchmember provided with a suitable hub 3, mounted on the shaft 1, and 4.the male member having an eX- upon whichthere is slidingly mounted asleeve 6 movable in the direction of length of the hub. This sleeve isprovided with a groove 7 adapted to receive a fork of a suitableshifting lever or element. The member 4 of the clutch en'ibodies adisk-shaped body 8 provided with radially extending, reinforcing webs 9between which are mounted the inner ends of a circular series of clutchoperating levers 11.

Mounted to slide radially outward on the body 8 is a series of two ormore segmental clutch elements 12, as best shown in Fig. 1, saidelements being provided with slots 13 elongated in a direction to permitthe outward and inward sliding movements of the clutch members, Saidslots receiving bolts lfor retaining t-he clutch elements on thedisk-shaped body 8 while permitting their free radial movement.

.interposed between each lever 11 and the 'materiaL In some cases,

which extend pivots 1() upon corresponding clutch element 12 is a forkedlink 15, the outer extremities of which are plvotally connected to t-heclutch element at 16 while the inner 'end thereof is provided with alongitudinal slot 17 which tits over a pin 18 on shown in Fig. 2. with alug 19 through which is threaded a set screw 20, by the adjustment ofwhich the throw of the link 15 may be regulated thus making it practicalto take up wear between the wearing or bearing faces of the clutch.

rammed Dee. io, 1912..

the lever 11, as clearly The lever is also provided Interposed betweenthe-sliding sleeve -6 and each lever 11 is a toggle link 21 whichconnects pivotally at one end at the point 22 with the outerextremity'of the lever 11, while the outer end of said link islongitudinally slotted as shown at 23 to receive a pin 24 on the sleeve6. Arranged behind the outer end of the link ,2l is an adjusting setscrew 25 A which passes through a threaded lug 26 on the sleeve 6 forthe purpose of regulating the throw of the link 21 and therebycompensating for any wear between the coperating main surfaces of theclutch. v I

Itis intended to provide the inne-r face of the clutch element 2 wi thinserts 27 of wood, fiber, or other material and in like manner theouter periphery of the male clutch member may be provided with inserts28of like canvas may be applied to the wearing face of the male clutchelement to cooperate with the Wood or fiber inserts of the other member.

From the foregoing description, it will i be understood that as weartakes place between the main working faces of the clutch, such wear maybe readily compensated for by adjusting either vthe set screws 20 orlthe set screws 25, or both the series of set screws and in like mannereach of the clutch elements 12A may be independently adjusted to the endthat all of the clutch elements 12 may consistently coperate with theinner periphery of the member 2 of the clutch, thereby giving theclutch, as a Whole.

l claim: ,1. A friction clutch embodying a shaft, a female member fastthereon', a male member provided with an extended cylindrical hub, aseries of segmental clutch members `mounted to slide radially on themale member, leverspivoted tothe male greatest eiiiciency to the member,al sleeve slidable on said hub, slotted links conmeeting the sleeve and.lever, other slotted links connecting the clutch elements diof the linksconnected thereto.

2. A friction eluteh embodying a shaft, e. female member fast thereon, emale member provided with an extended Cylindrical hub, efseresfefsegmental clutch elements mounted to slide radially on the mele member,levers pivotelly connected to the mele member7 e sleeve slidable on seidhub, slotted links connecting the sleeve and levers, other nected to theclutch elements, and set screws on the levers and sleeve adapted toadjust the throw of the links which connect with the clutch members.

In testmon whereof I unix mv sioneture 20 in presence of two Witnesses.

VVLLAM H. NELSON.

Witnesses: WILLMM W. CHAMBERS, JOHN W. CLAGHON.

